Boreal Forest (Taiga)


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BOREAL FOREST (TAIGA)


What is Taiga or what is a Boreal Forest? We have no idea of these words until we read and inquired about them. First of all both are the same things. The boreal forest, also known as Taiga, is a Russian word that recognizes the swampy nature of much of this forest in the summer, lies to the south of the tundra and to the north of deciduous forests and grasslands. The taiga is the largest continuous biome in the world. This biome is located in the northern part of the Northern Hemisphere and is in North America, Asia, and Europe. It stretches across Alaska, Canada, Scandinavia, and Russia; spreading through the Northern Hemisphere. Seasons are divided into two sections as short, moist, and warm summers and long, cold, and dry winters. The length of the growing season in boreal forests is 130 days. Temperatures are very low, between +5 and - 5 degrees (See the figure) . For example, Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming has an average annual temperature of 1 centigrade degree. As the precipitation (rain and snow fall on the land), it differs a lot between 20 cm and 200 cm per year. Of course, the majority of precipitation comes from snow fall. Because of the low temperatures and snowmelt, there is not much evaporation in the summer. The ground is always wet in growing season. Of course there are some threats for Boreal Forests. The treaths can be listed as pristine habitats, undustrial forestry, unsustainable forest management, wasteful consumption, climate change and poaching.
There are lots of plants in a Boreal Forest. Boreals Forests are very rich in plants. The most common ones are Balsam Fir, Black Spruce, Douglas Fir, Eastern Red Cedar, Jack Pine, Paper Birch, Siberian Spruce, White Fir, White Poplar and White Spruce. Some of the plants were endangered already like Balsam Fir, Lingonberry Plant and Siberian Dwarf Fine.
Not only the plants but also the animals are very rich in Boreal Forests. Boreal Forests are home to American Black Bear, Bald Eagle, Bobcat, Canadian Lynx, Gray Wolf, Grizzly Bear, Long Eared Owl, Snowshoe Rabbit, Wolverine, Red Fox, and River Otter. Unfortunately some of the animals have already been endangered. They are Snow Leopards, Siberian Tiger, Siberian Crane, Wood Bison (buffalo), and Peregrine Falcon.

Şule TÜRKAY 164
Lidya GÜNENÇ 179
Okyanus ATAY 168
Ceren VARAN 185
Berk UZALP 161
7C
26/01/2011







BİBLİOGRAPHİES:

longman dictionary
http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/biomes/boreal.htm
www.**borealforest**.org/
www.**answers**.com/
www.ms.sebik.com :)